This is easily the worst book I've ever read. Usually I am very tolerant regarding first books by new authors, they may have some more typos, the writThis is easily the worst book I've ever read. Usually I am very tolerant regarding first books by new authors, they may have some more typos, the writing might not be as impressive yet, or the story is not too elaborate. But this book takes the cake - it is a real treasure trove full of typos and the worst grammar which makes your eyes and brain hurt. Commas are sprinkled over the pages like confetti, sentences miss some basic parts like the verb or noun - take a red pencil to the book and you could simply hatch each page completely.

Not to mention the story, which - once you learn how to make sense of the author's senseless babble - starts out promising, but then hurries to loose theme and reason to detailed but senseless descriptions of blood and gore. I don't mind some good hardcore horror, but the author sacrificed the whole story to his splatter orgy.

Want some examples? Ok, here we go. To lift the mood, here is my favorite funny typo:"...the perforation of the vampire's heart with a steak."

Another nice and subtle one is the description of taking a person's head of: "decapitating the head from the body" or "decapitating the head from the shoulders". Without this saying the same thing twice over I never would have known the meaning of the word decapitation.

Some flaws in the story: at the beginning, the local police is glad that the FBI is taking over the investigation of the gruesome murders, but at the end the sheriff rants about their unnecessary interference.

...Spoiler Alert!...What annoyed me most: when the vampire learns that his daugher was kidnapped by the killer, what does he do? Race through town to find and rescue her, maybe locate her by some telepathic bond or something? No, of course not - instead he starts a killing spree, going from house to house, murdering each human in the whole town, and taking all the time in the world doing it. Maybe the scent of blood befuddled his mind so much he simply forgot about his beloved daughter?! No wonder she is long dead by the time he finds her....more

When I purchased this book I was not quite sure what I would get. I had a rough image of very explicit gore mixed with some esoteric sounding mind conWhen I purchased this book I was not quite sure what I would get. I had a rough image of very explicit gore mixed with some esoteric sounding mind control. Considering this, the book did not disappoint me. However, it did not rise above my cautious expectations either, though I liked that the author did not just write a plain torture novel, but put some interesting idea behind the how and why with the Akishra and Spirit involved.

There are some really disgusting scenes in this book, if you are into this kind of stuff. But there are also stories of several people accidentally thrown into the perverse universe of the Doublekey Ranch, who not only have to face the sadistic owners, but also some fantastic force - the above mentioned Akishra - which makes it possible to control both mind and body.

The masters of this power are able to stimulate the pleasure centre of the brain while at the same time forcing their victim to mutilate the own body. Thereby causing extreme pain to oneself - or other victims - is not only made tolerable but even badly desired in order to reach the highest planes of pleasure.

This is a really sick idea, and Shirley did a great job expanding it into a complete novel. So, keep hold of your stomach and enjoy the ride....more

I was really surprised, and positively surprised at that, by this novel. I always regard unknown authors with suspicion, "hoping for the best but expeI was really surprised, and positively surprised at that, by this novel. I always regard unknown authors with suspicion, "hoping for the best but expecting the worst" (to quote a favorite song from my youth...).

One of its greatest strengths is that the novel is short. Each sentence serves to push the story forward, there are no distracting sideways, no boring chapters written only to fill a required page limit. This straightforwardness works especially well with the fast-paced, pulse-quickening race across the mountain and keeps you as out of breath as the story's characters. I think the author managed to put more content into this comparatively half-length book than most authors in their full-length novels.

Nevertheless, the characters are sufficiently well drawn with lots of background information. Mercy, our female victim slash heroine, comes across as very normal, doubting her own decisions and rethinking each action, visualizing different scenarios for consequences, unsure how to act. On the other hand, Victor's thoughts are expressed in a cold clipped no-nonsense way to an extreme, which perfectly matches his sick and perverse nature, where everything follows a plan and there is no place for redundant behavior or failure in any way.

There was only one small moment when I thought "been there read that, nothing new, so let the slaughter begin and get it over with". But almost immediately the story made a sharp turn in another direction and smacked my right in the face - "whoa, it's not at all over yet, smart-ass".

Although Blood Mountain provides a good portion of gore, sometimes attacking you right out of the blue, it is not just another off-the-shelf genre novel. Highly recommended.

(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review)

I loved reading this book! While I expected more gore and less plot, I was pleasantly surprised that the author does not provide another blood orgy, bI loved reading this book! While I expected more gore and less plot, I was pleasantly surprised that the author does not provide another blood orgy, but instead weaves a complex story with well-developed characters which held my attention with every page turned. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy to indulge in a decent gore-feast, but adding a well-thought plot is what really does the trick.

And while other books tend to be too long containing descriptions or dialogues that are not vital to keep the story going, oddly there were several such scenes where I wished the author would have provided even more detail to prolong the pleasure of reading.

And the gore scenes worked even better because they were used sparsely to add some flavor and not heaped on your plate like an all-you-can-eat dinner.

This was my first novel by Mr Burke and I wonder how he went unnoticed for so long, but now I will definitely check out his other stories.

This story is what I call a "Spalter" or splitter (is that the right translation?) - meaning you will either love or hate it, no other options possiblThis story is what I call a "Spalter" or splitter (is that the right translation?) - meaning you will either love or hate it, no other options possible. I am not very familiar with Edward Lee's work (having read only Brides of the Impaler so far), and I wonder where the author gets his sick ideas...

This chapette was part of the limited Header 2 novel, but as I received it as a single gift I don't have read the complete novel (yet). Measured just by this short episode, it must be a killer....more

At the beginning I thought: Wow!, this definitely shows potential for a five star horror novel. Unfortunately, the author adds to many plots and sidesAt the beginning I thought: Wow!, this definitely shows potential for a five star horror novel. Unfortunately, the author adds to many plots and sideshows instead of staying with the central theme and going through with it.

Warning: the following paragraph may contain spoilers!The backwoods cannibal plot would have been a sufficient background for a satisfying real-life horror novel. But unfortunately, the author also throws in a demon, which turned the whole story unbelievable and silly. At some point I got the impression the author simply wanted to spill his collection of perverse fantasies, creating a patchwork of scenes bursting with gore and depravity but missing to weave them together into a continuous whole.

However, I did like the concept of following several people on their very different ways through the town's nightmare, sometimes crossing paths. But if some characters respectively chapters would have been left out, and the author would have spent more time fleshing out the remaining characters, the book definitely would have benefited. As it is, I soon got sated with the amount of depravity described and even became bored with its repetitiveness, which reminds me of the saying 'quantity does not make quality'....more

Though not as brilliant as Nightblood, this book still was a very good and scary read. The beginning has all elements of your typical ghost story: youThough not as brilliant as Nightblood, this book still was a very good and scary read. The beginning has all elements of your typical ghost story: young couple moves to new home, where they start hearing voices and seeing ghosts. Sounds familiar? That's what I thought with disappointment, too, until the story takes a U-turn and mutates into a horror psycho thriller. Besides a real maniacal serial killer, our couple has to face a bunch of even more scary ghosts of killers intent on crossing the threshold into the real world. Though the epilogue was a bit cheesy, it did not diminish the fun I had while reading this novel....more

Actually, I would have preferred to rate this book 2.5 stars (and will do so should GR ever decide to implement half star ratings).

Shana, Marklon andActually, I would have preferred to rate this book 2.5 stars (and will do so should GR ever decide to implement half star ratings).

Shana, Marklon and Erron live in a threesome partnership, which sure is something different. But two men sharing the same woman just so, as if it was the most normal thing in the world? The explanation for this unusual partnership was way too short and simple to be convincing. I guess the author wanted to include some steamy sex fantasies which I sure won't complain about. But those added chapters did not have any profound impact on the story and I didn't care much about them. I hope the author delves deeper into the beginning of this relationship in one of the next books, as it is essential for the reader to better understand the main characters and relate to them.

As for the grisly murders, that was something different altogether. A killer who leaves body parts strewn all over town, preferably as a part of some tasty meal, that was what really peaked my interest to read the story in the first place. While the thriller plot was thrilling indeed, the story line was bumpy and passages did not merge smoothly. While it is always nice to read a focused story without excess chapters, this one should have been more developed.

While the writing itself was ok, the author has not yet found her own individual voice which would make the book recognizable. Although this was a fast and entertaining read, it won't stay long with me. To arrive at a conclusion, let's say Table for Three wasn't entirely my cup of tea, but it was an interesting diversion.

(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review)

My expectations for this story were quite simple: get a nice little backwoods slasher/torture/revenge plot with lots of gore. Sometimes a simple, straMy expectations for this story were quite simple: get a nice little backwoods slasher/torture/revenge plot with lots of gore. Sometimes a simple, straightforward story without much ado is a great means for recreative entertainment.

The first part of the book met my expectations in that regard perfectly and easily earns a 4-star rating. Meet the Moseleys: a large family clan living in a remote wilderness where they can indulge in an eccentric lifestyle including very special culinary preferences. But this requires a regular supply of new, ahem, guests. When four young people on a vacation trip are attacked by some of the family members, you get a gore-feast which proudly manages to have even hard-boiled horror fans blush.

So if you enjoy a quick and dirty but satisfying mindf***, stop reading right after the attack, before the Moseleys go home. But if you want to witness the deterioration of an extraordinary and promising beginning into a source of boredom and confusion, keep on reading. Because that's what you will get for the rest of the book: endless introductions of new members of the Moseley family, to a degree where you stop caring for any individuals. Which is a shame, because it could have been interesting to follow some of the demented psychos up close. Instead, a new character pops up every few sentences, and even their actions are interchangeable, consisting mostly of beer drinking and dumb talking. Furthermore, the opening scene anticipates the story's climax in terms of gore action, while the ending, where the captured girl manages to escape, is rather uneventful and misses an expected grand finale.

Finally I can say that Meet the Moseleys turned out to be an extremely two-sided reading experience....more

This story was capital FUN to read.I admired the main character, Juliet, for her strength and will to survive. We get a first glimpse of that trait whThis story was capital FUN to read.I admired the main character, Juliet, for her strength and will to survive. We get a first glimpse of that trait when she is in the car with her husband, freezing him off for cheating on her. However, things get whopping worse after a car accident and the appearance of the red priest aka "JXsaves, but I'm not". Juliet fights all she can under the bizarre circumstances (understatement of the year) she suddenly has to face.

But while I was totally on her side the whole time, I was also delighted by the droll appearance of "Boogedy Boo", which had me giggling all over. I would have loved to read more about that odd fellow and therefore was a little disappointed at the abrupt ending. Pleading guilty for sick taste...and Mr. Lorn is definitely a force to be reckoned with!...more

Apartment 7c is a revenge story about 82-year old Beth, who decides to put an end to her abusive neighbor...

I really enjoyed the straight and uncompliApartment 7c is a revenge story about 82-year old Beth, who decides to put an end to her abusive neighbor...

I really enjoyed the straight and uncomplicated style and yes, I did feel a sick satisfaction at the man's bloody punishment. Though the outcome was predictable, the way in which the revenge was exercised was not.

My only minor criticism is that the interspersed hints at Beth's emotional turmoil about her brutal actions were too short to make a convincing impression. They should have either been left out completely for the sake of a pure gorefest or explored in greater detail....more

There were a couple good reasons for me to read this book: it benefits a good cause (Cancer Support Charity), it was featured as a group read at my faThere were a couple good reasons for me to read this book: it benefits a good cause (Cancer Support Charity), it was featured as a group read at my favorite discussion group (which already is a recommendation in itself), and it sounded like a great anthology of horror stories to have fun with. I was not disappointed!

They Swim by NightThe first story was a good starter, but from the beginning (when Alex learns that 'just a girl' will be on stage) I had a clue as to what kind of girl that would be and where this would surely lead. However, the execution (haha) was well done. ***

MelvinNot much to say: the second story was just great from start to finish and I especially enjoyed the humor at the end. ****

Extinction TherapyThe third story took its time to convince me. First, I was confused about what was going on, afraid the author chose the session as an easy means to spill his gore fantasy. And what was the parallel story about Doug and Cary doing here? But at the end everything was wrapped up nicely. ***

The Passion of the RobertsonsMy favorite so far. Loved the ending!I wonder whom (or if anyone at all yet) the couple had in mind while purchasing their stuff... Was it coincidence they chose Harry? *****

HellscapeThis story left too many questions open for me. Somehow, the story seemed like a part or unfinished chapter of a longer story. ***

MollyWell done, but I'm curious about Molly's background - where did she come from? Dolls can be so creepy... ****

Only Angels KnowBummer! This was so not for me - and I admit I did not understand a single thing this story (may have) wanted to tell me... *

Limb MemoryThis was a rather fun story which reminded me of old movies starring severed hands (though I can't remember any title). Nice! ****

Feast of ConsequencesLoved it! Where is the novel? *****

The Going RateThis was - totally unexpected - the most creepy story in the book, and I'm not spooked easily. Loved the idea. Another one I wish would become a novel! ***** can I give an extra star?: *

Darla's ProblemAnother fun story that thankfully lifted the mood again...probably couldn't have slept had I stopped after the previous one... ***

There were so many great stories in this anthology, and a lot of them I would love to see extended into a full-length novel. I also discovered a couple new authors, so this book was an absolute winner in multiple ways for me. Highly recommended!...more